he right thing. Your regiment did some
sharp fighting on their way up to Chitral, but of course you saw
nothing of that."

"Yes; I accompanied the regiment."

"The deuce you did!" the colonel said. "I wonder you managed to get
up with it, or that Colonel Kelly gave you leave. I certainly
should not, myself, have dreamed of taking a civilian with me on
such an expedition."

Lisle nodded.

"The colonel did not give me leave, sir. With the aid of one of the
native officers, with whom my father was a favourite, I obtained a
native uniform; and went through the campaign as a private."

The officers all looked upon him with astonishment.

"Do you mean to say that you cooked with them, fought with them,
and lived with them, as one of themselves?"

"That was so, sir; and it was only at the last fight that the truth
came out, for then one of the officers heard me make a remark to
myself, in English. Fortunately, the native officers gave a very
good account of my conduct. I was one of a small party that
descended a cliff with ropes, and did a good deal towards driving
the Chitralis out of their position."

"But how was it that you were not recognized by the soldiers?"

"I speak the language as well as I speak my own," Lisle said
quietly. "Having lived with the regiment all my life, I learned to
speak it like a native."

"Well," the colonel said, "it was a plucky thing for you to do. The
idea of disguising yourself in that way was a very happy one; but
not many officers would like to go through such a campaign as a
private in the Pioneers, or any other Indian regiment.

"Well, I congratulate myself in having acquired an officer who
must, at any rate, understand a great deal of his work, and who can
talk to the men in their own language; instead of, as I expected, a
raw lad.

"How old are you, Mr. Bullen? You look very young."

"I am only a little past sixteen," Lisle said, with a laugh; "but I
don't suppose the War Office knew that. Colonel Kelly was kind
enough to send in a strong recommendation on my behalf; stating, I
believe, the fact, that I had disguised myself as a private in
order to go to Chitral with the regiment, and that, as he was
pleased to say, I distinguished myself. He at once appointed me,
temporarily, as an officer; and as such I remained with the corps,
until their return to Peshawar. He also, of course, mentioned the
fact that I am the son of Captain Bullen, who lost his life in
bravely atta